August 22, 2025
RED FM News Desk
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she was unaware of recent government changes that scrapped the public disclosure of expense receipts — a move now being reversed after widespread criticism.
On Aug. 1, the province quietly introduced new rules removing the requirement for Smith, her cabinet ministers, deputy ministers and political staff to publicly post receipts for expenses over $100.
The decision drew swift condemnation from across the political spectrum, with critics accusing the government of trying to dodge accountability. In response, the province announced it will return to the previous rules.
Speaking at an unrelated event in Calgary on Thursday, Smith said she had not been informed of the change before it was implemented. She attributed the move to miscommunication, saying “something got lost in translation.”
Smith explained that some ministers had raised concerns about security risks if their hotel locations were disclosed, and she believed the intent was to find a way to redact sensitive information — not to remove transparency altogether.
Her comments also addressed criticism from former infrastructure minister Peter Guthrie, who was ejected from the United Conservative Party caucus earlier this year. Guthrie accused Smith of being evasive and shifting blame, writing on social media that under her leadership and that of her chief of staff Rob Anderson, “nothing moves without their permission.”
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